Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Yippppee! It's National Library Week 2012!

I hope you celebrate your local library all year long, but this week shines a light on libraries and library staff! I'm having a few giveaways this week to celebrate. Tell me about your library and staff - do you go for books, downloadable eBooks, programs, story time or just a place to study and use the computers? Do you have a special memory of your librarian? Thanks for visiting the library and making our job interesting!

To enter today's giveaway, simply leave a comment below (one entry per person) and I'll pick the winner from a hat (aka Random). Deadline: Monday, April 16, 2012 at midnight PDT. If your comment isn't linked to a blog where I can find you, please leave your email. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Disclosure: I'm paying for the cutters and shipping.

My favorite thing about the library right now is that I can search online for the book i want to read, and put it on hold. That way I can just pick it up from the hold shelf and I don't have to listen to my daughter whine about how boring it is to wait around for me to find a book I like. Which I'm sure the other library patrons, and librarians,are happy about too.

Yes! Perfect for scones! Any suggestions on what one can do to help a library system that seems to be failing? My local one is just sad, and everyone I talk to has the same story - they never have a single book I search for. Is donating books the solution, or donating money? I don't want the library to go away. What can we do?

I have good memories of my high school librarian. I was very much a square-peg student in a round-hole school, and I spent a lot of time hiding out in the library, where Mrs. W. always made me feel welcome and OK. Doubly valuable experience, because falling in love with books helped me see, in time, that I was really welcome and OK outside the library as well. Thanks, Mrs. W.!- Jeannette R. Jaruffles@bellsouth.net

I really enjoy reading your blog! I too, am a Japanese-American librarian who got her degree from UCLA. I live in Minnesota now, so it makes me happy when you post things about your family and wonderful food you all make and eat. It reminds me of my family, though I have to admit, we never did the whole pounding mochi thing. Then again, my family is a lot smaller than yours!

Happy National Library Week! My love for libraries stretches way back into early childhood. I spent a long time as a three-year-old learning to write my name because my mom told me that as soon as I could do it, I could get my own library card! I love our library in Pasadena--so beautiful, and always full of treasures!

For me the library is like a candy store, only it's all free! I'll take that, and that, and that...and oh maybe I'll try that. It's such an incredible community resource. And I TOTALLY agree with Mrsblocko above - the ability to go online and put books on hold and then just pick them up - uber convenient. Unless I'm browsing new releases I rarely go to the stacks anymore. jmleick [at] gmail [dot] com.

During my school days, the library was my second home. I used to do all my homework and catch up on reading. In college, I used to study for my exams and there were times when I stayed over for early morning exams. I recently found out that my local library has a tie up with kindle and so now I can borrow electrically. That made my day.

Those biscuit cutters look neat! And the ginger scones you made with them look delicious, too. I might have to try making my own if I am lucky enough to win the biscuit cutters. Thanks for the giveaway!

Thanks to all librarians, who make it easy to get info. It's impressive that as technology expanded, so did the capacity of our libraries -- no frozen-in-time building to house "just books" (although I'm sure there were controversies within the walls when those decisions were made), but rather a source of information in all formats. I enjoy checking-out cookbooks to try new recipes.

No need to enter me in the cutter drawing, since I have my grandmother's nested set. It's generous of you to celebrate with this contest.

Cute cutters! I went to the library all the time as a kid; so many good books! Unfortunately, now the job keeps me from reading for fun as often but it's always a little breathtaking to see so many books in one place.

Yay! I have always wanted 'real' biscuit cutters. My drinking glasses would like to serve their intended purpose. :-) My city is fortunate and has a GREAT library system, even with all the innovations of Amazon and B&N online. Each library is a 'branch' of the city's main library downtown, and we have a branch scattered everywhere throughout the city. And all you have to do is look up what you'd like online and they'll order it for you! I've never NOT been able to borrow something I was interested in. If the failing larger bookstore chains were smart, they would include a library in with the ability to purchase books and DVDs. Just my two cents.Trish @ german_girl_with_curls@yahoo.com

Oh, libraries! I use Overdrive on my ipad, but there is no replacement for a book with real pages. Something real that you can curl up on a big chair with...I would love these biscuit cutters! Usually I'm using a cup or just cut into squares, which is not nearly as fun!

My mom was an English teacher and book hound. She instilled the love of books in my sister and I by taking us to the public library each week during summer vacation. We were under strict guidance to always return the books on time. Imagine my surprise a few years ago when in an old box of my mom's things I found a library book that she never returned to the Flint (MI) library in 1943!!! I wonder what the overdue fees are on it. My sister and I laughed until we cried.

When I was in elementary school, I used to walk to my local library almost every day. The librarians all knew me and were so friendly and helpful :) Although it was a tiny branch of the LAPL, it's still my favorite!

Love the recipe for these and will definitely make for the Girls Tea I am hosting :) Thank you for this give away! I love the library and usually make a trip a week. Happy National Library Week! Carol G (fairisle01@yahoo.com)

We love our library! We are very excited to start using our library with my new Kindle.I credit my son's school library with really stoking his love of reading. Sadly she was cut in our budget issues. Support your libraries and schools!

Aloha Mary,Two of my favorite things...baking and the library. We have a GREAT library in Kihei, Maui and it's only getting better. They now have all kinds of awesome events like a Wind Quintet, family movie night - the list goes on. My 6 yr old is hooked and the 2 yr old is now a crazy library lover as well! I don't have a great set of biscuit cutters - these would be great. I can make come scones for the library staff! Thanks for doing what you do - at the library and the blog.MahaloAprilaprilni@hawaii.rr.com